diff --git a/src/freeroute/route/grid_router.py b/src/freeroute/route/grid_router.py
index 1dd5bf9..921a444 100644
--- a/src/freeroute/route/grid_router.py
+++ b/src/freeroute/route/grid_router.py
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ class GridRouter:
         # orthogonal routing (axis-aligned segments only) yields exact IntBox
         # trace copper; 8-connected also produces 45-degree segments.
         self._neighbours = _NEIGHBOURS[:4] if orthogonal else _NEIGHBOURS
+        self._orthogonal = orthogonal
         # cell size must fit a trace plus its clearance to a neighbouring trace
         self.step = max(self.trace_width + self.clearance, 1)
         # A via's copper is wider than a trace. Another net's trace needs its
@@ -332,14 +333,11 @@ class GridRouter:
     def _search(
         self, conn: _Connection, allow_ripup: bool, conns: list[_Connection]
     ) -> list[Node] | None:
-        start_cell = self._cell_of(conn.a.location)
         goal_cell = self._cell_of(conn.b.location)
-        a_layers = [layer for layer in conn.a.layers if layer in self.layers]
-        b_layers = [layer for layer in conn.b.layers if layer in self.layers]
-        if not a_layers or not b_layers:
+        starts = self._end_nodes(conn.a, conn.net_no, conns)
+        goals = self._end_nodes(conn.b, conn.net_no, conns)
+        if not starts or not goals:
             return None
-        starts = {(*start_cell, layer) for layer in a_layers}
-        goals = {(*goal_cell, layer) for layer in b_layers}
         if starts & goals:
             return [min(starts & goals)]
         net_no = conn.net_no
@@ -347,9 +345,11 @@ class GridRouter:
         open_heap: list[tuple[float, Node]] = []
         g_score: dict[Node, float] = {}
         came_from: dict[Node, Node] = {}
+        # a stub costs its length, so the nearest cell wins unless it is blocked
+        goal_stub = {n: self._stub_cost(conn.b, n) for n in goals}
         for s in sorted(starts):
-            g_score[s] = 0.0
-            heapq.heappush(open_heap, (self._h(s, goal_cell), s))
+            g_score[s] = self._stub_cost(conn.a, s)
+            heapq.heappush(open_heap, (g_score[s] + self._h(s, goal_cell), s))
 
         while open_heap:
             _, current = heapq.heappop(open_heap)
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ class GridRouter:
                     continue
                 nxt = (*cell, cl)
                 if nxt in goals:
-                    enter = 0.0
+                    enter = goal_stub[nxt]
                 else:
                     enter = self._enter_cost(cell, cl, net_no, allow_ripup, conns)
                     if enter is None:
@@ -382,6 +382,65 @@ class GridRouter:
                     )
         return None
 
+    # --- pin stubs ----------------------------------------------------------
+    # A pin rarely sits on a cell centre, so every route starts and ends with a
+    # short stub from the pin to its first cell. The grid has to see that
+    # copper too, or a stub ends up closer than clearance to a trace in the
+    # cell beside it.
+
+    def _stub_cells(self, pin_location: IntPoint, cell: Cell) -> list[Cell]:
+        """Cells where another net's trace would come too close to the stub."""
+        from freeroute.board.outline import _point_segment
+
+        end = self._cell_center(cell)
+        reach = 2 * self.half_width + self.clearance
+        box = IntBox(
+            min(pin_location.x, end.x), min(pin_location.y, end.y),
+            max(pin_location.x, end.x), max(pin_location.y, end.y),
+        )
+        return [
+            c
+            for c in self._cells_in_box(box, reach)
+            if _point_segment(self._cell_center(c), pin_location, end) < reach
+        ]
+
+    def _stub_clear(self, pin: Pin, cell: Cell, layer: int, net_no: int, conns) -> bool:
+        for c in self._stub_cells(pin.location, cell):
+            owner = self._cell_owner.get((*c, layer))
+            if owner is not None and conns[owner].net_no != net_no:
+                return False
+            via_owner = self._via_owner.get(c)
+            if via_owner is not None and conns[via_owner].net_no != net_no:
+                return False
+        return True
+
+    def _stub_cost(self, pin: Pin, node: Node) -> float:
+        c = self._cell_center(node[:2])
+        dx, dy = abs(c.x - pin.location.x), abs(c.y - pin.location.y)
+        if self._orthogonal:  # measured the way the route itself is allowed to move
+            return (dx + dy) / self.step
+        return math.hypot(dx, dy) / self.step
+
+    def _end_nodes(self, pin: Pin, net_no: int, conns) -> set[Node]:
+        """Nodes a route may start or end on for ``pin``: the nearest cell and
+        its neighbours, where the cell is enterable and the stub to it is clear.
+        A crowded fine-pitch pin gets more than one way out."""
+        layers = [layer for layer in pin.layers if layer in self.layers]
+        cx, cy = self._cell_of(pin.location)
+        nodes: set[Node] = set()
+        for dx, dy in ((0, 0), *self._neighbours):
+            cell = (cx + dx, cy + dy)
+            if not (0 <= cell[0] < self.cols and 0 <= cell[1] < self.rows):
+                continue
+            for layer in layers:
+                if (dx or dy) and self._enter_cost(cell, layer, net_no, False, conns) is None:
+                    continue
+                if self._stub_clear(pin, cell, layer, net_no, conns):
+                    nodes.add((*cell, layer))
+        if not nodes:  # nothing clear: fall back to the nearest cell, as before
+            nodes = {(cx, cy, layer) for layer in layers}
+        return nodes
+
     def _relax(self, current, nxt, tentative, goal_cell, g_score, came_from, open_heap):
         if tentative < g_score.get(nxt, math.inf):
             came_from[nxt] = current
@@ -405,6 +464,13 @@ class GridRouter:
                 if c not in self._via_owner:
                     self._via_owner[c] = conn.index
                     conn.via_halo.append(c)
+        for pin, (layer, cells) in ((conn.a, wire_segs[0]), (conn.b, wire_segs[-1])) if wire_segs else ():
+            cell = cells[0] if pin is conn.a else cells[-1]
+            for c in self._stub_cells(pin.location, cell):
+                node = (*c, layer)
+                if node not in self._cell_owner:
+                    self._cell_owner[node] = conn.index
+                    conn.trace_cells.append((c, layer))
         conn.wires = []
         for idx, (layer, cells) in enumerate(wire_segs):
             points = [self._cell_center(c) for c in cells]
diff --git a/tests/route/test_real_board_geometry.py b/tests/route/test_real_board_geometry.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..617ec0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/route/test_real_board_geometry.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+"""Routing behaviours found on the TerraHawk rc4 boards (2026-09-27)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import math
+
+import pytest
+
+from freeroute.board import build_board
+from freeroute.dsn import parse_dsn
+from freeroute.route.pipeline import route_dsn_board_exact
+
+# 20 x 20 mm board whose corners are rounded with a 3 mm radius, as polylines
+_R = 3000.0
+_arc = [(_R - _R * math.cos(math.radians(a)), _R - _R * math.sin(math.radians(a))) for a in range(0, 91, 15)]
+
+
+def _outline_coords():
+    pts = []
+    for cx, cy, sx, sy in ((0, 0, 1, 1), (20000, 0, -1, 1), (20000, -20000, -1, -1), (0, -20000, 1, -1)):
+        corner = [(cx + sx * x, cy - sy * y) for x, y in _arc]
+        pts.extend(corner if sx * sy > 0 else corner[::-1])
+    return " ".join(f"{x:.1f} {y:.1f}" for x, y in pts)
+
+
+def _dsn(placement, network, extra=""):
+    return f"""(pcb t (parser) (resolution um 10) (unit um)
+  (structure (layer F.Cu (type signal)) (layer B.Cu (type signal))
+    (boundary (path pcb 0 {_outline_coords()}))
+    (via "Via[0-1]_600:300_um") (rule (width 250) (clearance 150)) {extra})
+  (placement {placement})
+  (library (image P (pin pad 1 0 0))
+    (padstack pad (shape (rect F.Cu -150 -500 150 500)) (attach off))
+    (padstack "Via[0-1]_600:300_um" (shape (circle F.Cu 600)) (shape (circle B.Cu 600)) (attach off)))
+  (network {network}))"""
+
+
+def test_routes_keep_edge_clearance_at_a_rounded_corner():
+    # two pads near the top-left corner: the direct path cuts the corner arc
+    text = _dsn("(component P (place A 1800 -6000 front 0) (place B 6000 -1800 front 90))",
+                "(net N (pins A-1 B-1))")
+    dsn = parse_dsn(text)
+    result, scale, _ = route_dsn_board_exact(dsn, edge_clearance_mm=0.5)
+    assert result.routed_net_numbers
+    outline = build_board(dsn).outline
+    half = 125 * scale
+    for segs in result.result.wires.values():
+        for _layer, pts in segs:
+            for p in pts:
+                # every trace point, plus half the trace, keeps 0.5 mm to the edge
+                assert outline.edge_distance(p) >= half + 500 * scale - 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.xfail(
+    strict=True,
+    reason="known gap: the grid step (trace + clearance, 0.4 mm here) does not line up "
+    "with a 0.5 mm pin row, so only the outer pins get a column; the FreeRouting JAR, "
+    "being gridless, routes all five. This is most of the gap on an LQFP.",
+)
+def test_every_pin_of_a_half_millimetre_pitch_row_escapes():
+    # five pads at 0.5 mm pitch, each wired to its own pad 8 mm away
+    places = " ".join(f"(place R{i} {6000 + 500 * i} -6000 front 0)" for i in range(5))
+    places += " " + " ".join(f"(place F{i} {6000 + 500 * i} -14000 front 0)" for i in range(5))
+    nets = " ".join(f"(net N{i} (pins R{i}-1 F{i}-1))" for i in range(5))
+    result, _, _ = route_dsn_board_exact(parse_dsn(_dsn(f"(component P {places})", nets)))
+    assert len(result.routed_net_numbers) == 5